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Publisher's Summary

Born in 1894, Facey lived the rough frontier life of a sheep farmer, survived the gore of Gallipoli, raised a family through the Depression and spent 60 years with his beloved wife, Evelyn. Despite enduring hardships we can barely imagine today, Facey always saw his life as a "fortunate" one. A true classic of Australian literature, his simply written autobiography is an inspiration. It is the story of a life lived to the full - the extraordinary journey of an ordinary man.

Story

A hard but amazing life

It's a slow start, and it's tough but realistic view of country Australia at the start and during the 20th century. The part on world war 1 at Gallipoli is incredible and post the first war interesting.

It's a hard life he endured but a fortunate one and that given many take-away's in my own life and I have the upmost respect for what he endured and what is told.

Very interesting

Would you say that listening to this book was time well-spent? Why or why not?

It was ok.....it kept me going because of the many different jobs and people this young man met during his life.

If you’ve listened to books by A. B. Facey before, how does this one compare?

N/a

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Katherine

05-28-15

amazing story of early WA

Was a wonderful story of true determination and love of the Australian outback - a real true blue aussie guy

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Kerrin

07-17-16

Editing...

I loved this book but the reader's pronunciation of Western Australian towns and Perth suburbs needs reviewing.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

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Nathan

01-27-18

A great Australian story!

An interesting life story that provides a terrific window into australian life from the 1890s-1940s.

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Phil Barron

12-08-17

Great story, pity about the mispronunciation

What made the experience of listening to A Fortunate Life the most enjoyable?

Listening to the wonderful story of Bert Facey, from his early years to his 8th decade.

What did you like best about this story?

All of Bert's trials and tribulations, through iconic moments in Australian history, including landing at Gallipoli, the loss of his brothers in combat, clearing and settling land in Western Australia's wheatbelt, his relationships and work with indigenous Aboriginal people on the land.

What did you like about the performance? What did you dislike?

The narration was okay - a direct old fashioned Aussie voice that suited the text. I was very irritated by the narrator Roger Caldwell's mispronunciation of many important, and often referred to place names, especially the most repeated and central to the story town of Narrogin, but also Corrigin - all the 'gin's' were mispronounced with a hard g It should be an essential criteria that names be researched and the correct pronunciation checked by the audiobooks editor.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

I was moved wholly by the experiences of the author, and his simple straitforward style.

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Adam

11-22-17

Literature for sure

Enjoyable Australian book.

Limited by the literature interest- catcher in the rye was the similar - out there, interesting but not like a normal novel such as a Dan Brown novel.

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Blanco345

11-10-17

Inspirational

His simply written autobiography is an inspiration. It is the story of a life lived to the full.

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Amazon Customer

09-24-17

A real Australian story

This book provides a detailed and fascinating account of life in Australia in the 1900's. It taught me many things about this country and its history that I didn't know.

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Carl

10-13-16

Beautiful story

Loved this book. Do yourself a favour and listen to this book. You won't regtet it

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The reader who failed English!

09-25-16

An interesting story

I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to see how life was in the early 1900's. I played it to my 80 year old mother who was mesmerised by it. As she hasn't read a book since leaving school.

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Jennifer2

07-16-16

Fascinating.

An amazing account of Mr Facey's life. I really enjoyed the accounts of so many decades in WA history.A great shame that the reader did not check the pronunciation of many towns...Narrogin, Pingelly, Mundaring and Albany as some examples.

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Harmonie

03-04-16

simply written but a terrific tale of his life

thoroughly enjoyed listening - very simply written but wonderfully descriptive. his life was fascinating. the narrator was good too.